Blog 5: Teaching All The Students

Questions:

1) Is this situation typical in most schools?

2) How can art teachers accomodate different learning styles and other needs among their students?

3) Is it important for teachers to develop a range of instructional skills?

4) How can art teachers get the most from the visual nature of their subject?



1) Yes, this situation is typical in most schools. We live in a multicultural country where, hopefully, individual differences in culture, ability, and thinking are accepted. As teachers, we do our best to accomodate different learning styles and individual needs, and allow each child a chance for growth. The education system in Canada is integrated (for the most part), so all teachers must accomodate for a variety of learning styles and individual needs, whether they are cognitive, social, physical, or cultural.



2) Allowing multiple ways of approaching a problem to accomodate different learning styles and individual needs. Teachers can also differentiate instruction so different students can understand.



3) Yes, it is very important for teachers to develop a range of instructional skills so they could apply those in situations where students have different learning needs.



4) Human beings are, by nature, visual creatures (most of our brain's sensory receptors are related to sight), so art teachers should employ difference visual techniques to capture the interest of students. They should also help students to understand the power of visuals in the artwork they create. They should, however, also use a variety of teaching techniques that can reach visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners, for not every student learns the same way.